The question below consists of a set of labelled sentences. Out of the four options given, select the most logical order of the sentences to form a coherent paragraph. I learnt he had A – spoke about yoga, slums, and Indian B – never been to India, yet he C – cinema with conviction
BAC
Understanding Sentence Reordering
Sentence reordering questions test your ability to understand the logical flow of ideas and grammatical connections between sentences to form a coherent paragraph. To solve these questions, you need to read the given sentences carefully and look for clues like pronouns, conjunctions, transition words, and logical sequences of events or ideas.
Analyzing the Given Sentences for Reordering
We are given a set of labelled sentences that need to be arranged to form a coherent paragraph, starting with the introductory phrase "I learnt he had".
- Introductory Phrase: I learnt he had
- A – spoke about yoga, slums, and Indian
- B – never been to India, yet he
- C – cinema with conviction
Evaluating the Options for Logical Order
We need to examine the given options and see which arrangement of sentences A, B, and C, when combined with the introductory phrase, creates a meaningful and grammatically correct paragraph.
Let's test the order suggested by the correct option, which is BAC.
- Start with the introductory phrase: I learnt he had...
- Add sentence B: ...never been to India, yet he...
- Add sentence A: ...spoke about yoga, slums, and Indian...
- Add sentence C: ...cinema with conviction.
Combining these pieces gives us the complete paragraph:
I learnt he had never been to India, yet he spoke about yoga, slums, and Indian cinema with conviction.
Checking for Coherence and Meaning
Let's read the formed paragraph: "I learnt he had never been to India, yet he spoke about yoga, slums, and Indian cinema with conviction."
This sentence structure is grammatically sound. The word "yet" in sentence B indicates a contrast – the person had never been to India (contrast) yet he spoke about Indian topics (yoga, slums, cinema) with conviction. Sentence A lists the topics he spoke about, and sentence C completes the list of topics and describes how he spoke ("with conviction"). The flow from B to A to C makes perfect sense logically and grammatically following the introductory phrase "I learnt he had".
- Sentence B starts with "never been to India, yet he..." which sets up a contrast.
- Sentence A continues the thought started in B, mentioning what "he" did ("spoke about yoga, slums, and Indian...").
- Sentence C completes the list initiated in A and adds the manner ("...cinema with conviction").
This order (BAC) forms a single, coherent, and meaningful sentence representing a complete thought.
Why Other Options are Less Logical
Let's quickly consider other possibilities:
- ABC: I learnt he had spoke about yoga, slums, and Indian never been to India, yet he cinema with conviction. (Illogical and grammatically incorrect)
- ACB: I learnt he had spoke about yoga, slums, and Indian cinema with conviction never been to India, yet he. (Illogical and grammatically incorrect)
- CBA: I learnt he had cinema with conviction never been to India, yet he spoke about yoga, slums, and Indian. (Illogical and grammatically incorrect)
Only the BAC order creates a grammatically correct and logically flowing sentence when combined with the introductory phrase.
Conclusion on Sentence Arrangement
Based on the grammatical structure and logical flow, the most coherent order of the sentences following the introductory phrase "I learnt he had" is BAC, forming the sentence "I learnt he had never been to India, yet he spoke about yoga, slums, and Indian cinema with conviction."
| Order | Combined Sentence | Logical? |
|---|---|---|
| Intro + BAC | I learnt he had never been to India, yet he spoke about yoga, slums, and Indian cinema with conviction. | Yes |
| Intro + ABC | I learnt he had spoke about yoga, slums, and Indian never been to India, yet he cinema with conviction. | No |
| Intro + ACB | I learnt he had spoke about yoga, slums, and Indian cinema with conviction never been to India, yet he. | No |
| Intro + CBA | I learnt he had cinema with conviction never been to India, yet he spoke about yoga, slums, and Indian. | No |
Revision Table: Key Learnings on Sentence Reordering
| Concept | Description | How it Helps in Reordering |
|---|---|---|
| Identify Connectors | Words like conjunctions (yet, but, and), pronouns (he, she, it, they), and transition words (however, therefore, moreover). | They show relationships between sentences or clauses, indicating flow or contrast. "Yet" in sentence B signals a contrast with the preceding part of the sentence. |
| Look for Noun-Pronoun Links | A pronoun usually refers back to a noun introduced earlier. | Helps establish the subject of the paragraph and subsequent references. Here, "he" refers to a person the speaker "learnt" about. |
| Follow Logical Flow | Ideas should progress in a logical manner, whether chronologically, cause-and-effect, or general-to-specific. | The sentence follows a pattern of stating a surprising fact (never been to India) and then stating what the person *did* despite this fact (spoke about India). |
| Check Subject-Verb Agreement and Tense | Ensure verbs match their subjects and tenses are consistent (unless a shift is intentional). | Helps eliminate grammatically incorrect sequences. "I learnt he had..." requires a past participle or structure like "never been" followed by a verb like "spoke". |
Additional Information on Coherent Paragraphs
A coherent paragraph is one where all the sentences are logically connected and flow smoothly from one to the next. Coherence is achieved through:
- Logical Order: Arranging sentences in a way that makes sense. This could be chronological order, spatial order, order of importance, or a simple-to-complex progression.
- Transitions: Using words and phrases (like however, therefore, in addition, for example, first, next) to show the relationship between ideas. In our example, "yet" serves as a transition.
- Repetition of Keywords or Ideas: Repeating important terms or concepts helps maintain focus and reminds the reader of the main subject. While not heavily used in this single-sentence example, it's crucial for longer paragraphs.
- Pronoun Reference: Using pronouns (he, she, it, they, this, that) to refer back to previously mentioned nouns, creating a smooth connection.
Mastering sentence reordering improves not only your ability to solve exam questions but also your own writing skills, helping you construct clearer and more logical paragraphs.
Important Questions from Sentence Jumbles
The following question consists of six sentences of a passage. The first and the sixth sentences are given in the beginning as S1 and S6. The middle four sentences in each have been jumbled up and labelled P, Q, R and S. You are required to find the proper sequence of the four sentences and mark your response accordingly.
S1: Egypt lies in the north-east corner of Africa.
S6: The whole country depends on the water of the Nile.
P: Most of it is desert or semi-desert.
Q: It has very little rainfall.
R: It is four times as big as Great Britain in size.
S: Only a twenty-fifth of the total area is cultivable.
The correct sequence should beThe following question consists of six sentences of a passage. The first and the sixth sentences are given in the beginning as S1 and S6. The middle four sentences in each have been jumbled up and labelled P, Q, R and S. You are required to find the proper sequence of the four sentences and mark your response accordingly.
S1: In mechanical efforts, you improve by perpetual practice.
S6: There is neither excuse nor temptation for the latter.
P: He cannot go on shooting wide or falling short, and still fancy that he is making progress.
Q: This is so because the object to be attained is a matter of actual experiment in which you either succeed or fail.
R: He must either correct his aim or persevere in his error with his eyes open.
S: If a man aims at a mark with a bow and arrow, he must either hit it or aim it.
The correct sequence should be
The following question consists of six sentences of a passage. The first and the sixth sentences are given in the beginning as S1 and S6. The middle four sentences in each have been jumbled up and labelled P, Q, R and S. You are required to find the proper sequence of the four sentences and mark your response accordingly.
S1: Isaac’s mother married again.
S6: He had a set of little tools and saw of various sizes made by himself.
P: But he was known to be very clever at making things.
Q: She sent him to school.
R: Isaac was left to the care of his good old grandmother.
S: In his early years Isaac did not appear to be a very bright student.
The correct sequence should be
The following question consists of six sentences of a passage. The first and the sixth sentences are given in the beginning as S1 and S6. The middle four sentences in each have been jumbled up and labelled P, Q, R and S. You are required to find the proper sequence of the four sentences and mark your response accordingly.
S1: The examination system must be regarded as the chief wrecker of young nerves.
S6: If I become a Vice-Chancellor, my first act would be to abolish all examinations in my university.
P: It makes me jump out of the bed, all in a sweat.
Q: It does this by building up a tension, for a part of the year, all through one’s youth.
R: And after four decades, the same nervousness sometimes recurs to me in nightmares.
S: I remember the desperate nervousness that used to grip me from January to April every year.
The correct sequence should be
The following question consists of six sentences of a passage. The first and the sixth sentences are given in the beginning as S1 and S6. The middle four sentences in each have been jumbled up and labelled P, Q, R and S. You are required to find the proper sequence of the four sentences and mark your response accordingly.
S1: History is a subject that is so little valued today that it is almost impossible to win world fame as a historian, yet that is exactly what Toynbee was able to.
S6: Among the civilizations that he studied was that of India.
P: We usually think of history as a chronological account of the development of various states and empires under the ruler.
Q: Toynbee’s view of history was different.
R: He tries to find the pattern behind the birth, growth and decay of civilization.
S: Though he used the recorded history of mankind, he was interested not merely in the chronology of single states or group but in the rise and fall of whole civilizations.
The correct sequence should be
